E Doric Locrian Guitar Scale

E Doric Locrian Scale — Notes and Intervals

The E Doric Locrian scale, known as Karcigar in Turkish makam tradition, occupies a modal crossroads between the soulful warmth of Dorian and the diminished tension of Locrian. On Guitar, it contains the notes E, F#, G, A, Bb, C#, D. Its natural sixth prevents the scale from sounding entirely bleak, making it a versatile tool for Balkan folk music and Eastern European jazz contexts. Commonly used in Balkan Folk, Turkish, Klezmer, Jazz. Notable players include Ivo Papasov, Dave Liebman. Use over m7b5 chords with a natural 6th or in Eastern European folk contexts. The Dorian flavor softens the Locrian harshness, making it more melodically versatile.

Notes: E, F#, G, A, Bb, C#, D

Intervals: 1P, 2M, 3m, 4P, 5d, 6M, 7m

Degrees: 1 2 b3 4 5 6 b7

Formula: W-H-W-H-WH-H-W

Number of notes: 7

Musical Character

Dorian mode with a diminished 5th (b5), creating a modal crossroads between the soulful warmth of Dorian and the instability of Locrian. The natural 6th prevents the scale from sounding as bleak as pure Locrian.

Genres & Notable Artists

Genres: Balkan Folk, Turkish, Klezmer, Jazz

Notable players: Ivo Papasov, Dave Liebman

How to Use the E Doric Locrian Scale

Use over m7b5 chords with a natural 6th or in Eastern European folk contexts. The Dorian flavor softens the Locrian harshness, making it more melodically versatile.

Origin & Background

Known as Karcigar in Eastern European music, after the Turkish makam of the same name. Used extensively in Balkan and Romani traditions where its combination of Dorian warmth and Locrian tension serves the emotional extremes of wedding and funeral music alike.

How to Play E Doric Locrian on Guitar

Start the E Doric Locrian scale in open position, taking advantage of the open E string. Use a three-notes-per-string fingering to cover the full scale in one position, or learn the CAGED shapes to navigate the entire fretboard. An alternative starting point is open position.

The E Doric Locrian scale contains both sharps and flats (2 sharps, 1 flat), which is common in altered and exotic scales. Its relative major is G major, which shares the same key signature.

Practice Routine — Exercises for Playing

Begin by playing the E Doric Locrian scale ascending and descending at 100 BPM using a metronome, one note per beat. Once comfortable, practice in thirds (E-G, F#-A) to build intervallic familiarity. Spend 5 minutes daily on this pattern before increasing tempo by 10 BPM.

Experiment with simple two-chord vamps rooted on E to let the characteristic intervals of the Doric Locrian scale come through clearly. This scale is especially effective in balkan folk contexts.

Guitar Tips

Use hybrid picking (pick + fingers) when playing the E Doric Locrian scale on guitar to access wider intervals and string skips that a pick alone cannot handle efficiently. Aim for a exotic quality in your phrasing to match the natural character of this scale.

Related Scales

• E Dorian
• E Locrian
• E Dorian #4
• E Locrian #2

The E Doric Locrian scale contains 7 notes (E, F#, G, A, Bb, C#, D). Use the interactive fretboard diagram above to explore each shape and pattern on Guitar with different tunings and fret ranges. Practice ascending and descending from the root note to learn the sound of this scale.

CAGED Positions & Patterns for E Doric Locrian

The E Doric Locrian scale can be played in 5 CAGED positions across the fretboard, each based on an open chord shape (C, A, G, E, D). As a 7-note scale, it also lends itself to 3-notes-per-string (3NPS) patterns that facilitate legato playing and diagonal shifting. Use the pattern selector above to isolate each position.

Explore E Doric Locrian Further

• Harmonize the E Doric Locrian scale — triads & 7th chords
• Browse chord progressions
• E Doric Locrian on Ukulele
• E Doric Locrian on Bass
• E Doric Locrian on Piano

Explore E Doric Locrian in Other Tunings

• E Doric Locrian in Drop D (E-B-G-D-A-D)
• E Doric Locrian in DADGAD (D-A-G-D-A-D)
• E Doric Locrian in Open G (D-B-G-D-G-D)
• E Doric Locrian in Baritone (B Standard) (B-F#-D-A-E-B)
• E Doric Locrian in 7-string (E-B-G-D-A-E-B)
• E Doric Locrian in 8-string (E-B-G-D-A-E-B-F#)
• E Doric Locrian in Drop C (D-A-F-C-G-C)
• E Doric Locrian in Drop B (C#-G#-E-B-F#-B)
• E Doric Locrian in Open D (D-A-F#-D-A-D)
• E Doric Locrian in Half Step Down (Eb-Bb-Gb-Db-Ab-Eb)
• E Doric Locrian in Open E (E-B-G#-E-B-E)
• E Doric Locrian in Open A (E-C#-A-E-A-E)
• E Doric Locrian in Double Drop D (D-B-G-D-A-D)
• E Doric Locrian in Open C (E-C-G-C-G-C)

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